iL& INI THE GIFT OF le /man C 41n 0 MMWEEERNRTW M R tz(, S-5 N.5 Z 3 'D 3Lýt EARLY DAYS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK JAMES LENOX, LL.D. EARLY DAYS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK BY DAVID BRYSON DELAVAN, M. D. Consultant: St. Luke's, Memorial, Ruptured and Crippled Hospitals President: Russell Sage Institute of Pathology, Grenfell Association of America Trustee: New York Dispensary Formerly Resident House Officer Presbyterian Hospital WITH 34 FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS PUBLISHED PRIVATELY 1926 PRINTED BY THE ABBEY PRINTSHOP, Inc. EAST ORANGE, N. J. COPYRIGIIT, 1926 BY D. BRYSON DELAVAN, M:D. TO THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOUNDED BY JAMES LENOX WITH REVERENT MEMORIES OF ITS PAST APPRECIATION OF ITS PRESENT AND STEADFAST HOPE FOR ITS FUTURE FOREWORD This attempt to rescue from oblivion the story of the founding of a great institution is made as a tribute to the memory of men through whom we, their followers, have enjoyed unusual benefits; and as a reminder of altruistic efforts by which our present advantages have been secured. In it I have tried to present a series of pictures of men and things as they came under my personal knowledge and observation. It was my fortune to have been associated from childhood with several of the founders of the Presbyterian Hospital, as well as with various members of its Medical Board. The incidents attending its inner history, from its inception, were frequently discussed in my presence. As Resident House Officer at a period when its affairs were undergoing important readjustment, and thereafter, abundant opportunities were offered for acquaintance with its managers, its physicians and its career. My active association with the Hospital, although short, was one of the invaluable experiences of a lifetime. It conferred an obligation gratefully here acknowledged, in the only way now possible. Those good men of fifty years ago with whom my story deals were kind and helpful friends to me. Many of their ideas and methods, while apparently crude in the light of present day science, were in fact advanced and in many instances well calculated to prepare the way for the improvements which have followed; while the strength of their fine intelligence remains unchallenged and the beauty of their characters and the generous breadth of their humanity glowv with ever increasing brightness. With the passage of time and the loss of records the memory of those concerned in the founding of the hospital and the circumstances attending its early history have well nigh faded into obscurity. To the present generation even Mr. Lenox himself is practically unknown. Few are left from whom definite information can be gained. But if the story of the heredity and birth of a distinguished man, a great nation, or a highly successful enterprise of any kind is worthy of note, the early history of the Presbyterian Hospital should be of ever increasing value. The fine spirit which actuated its founders and the lofty and advanced ideas which they so bravely strove to carry out are priceless traditions, replete with inspiration and enlightenment. Of these traditions we cannot be too proud. They should be zealously guarded, sacredly preserved; whatever else of change the years may bring they should never cease to be its guiding, uplifting sentiment. As originally conceived, the Hospital was a great benevolent enterprise, undertaken by men of singularly pure motive, clear vision and generous impulse, led by the most remarkable philanthropist of his time. The Board of Managers, as well as the Medical Board of the Presbyterian Hospital contained men of distinction in their various departments, some knowledge of whom is essential. It will be our aim to offer a brief record of the circumstances which led to the founding of the Hospital, to recall some of those who were its early sponsors and to relate as far as memory may permit, the conditions under which it flourished during the first years of its active life. For the suggestion of placing the material of the book in permanent form we are indebted to Miss Mabel Davies, formerly Assistant Superintendent of the Presbyterian, now Superintendent of the Beekman Street Hospital; while in the execution of the work, aid has been given with cheerful alacrity by Miss Helen Young, Directress of Nursing, and from every quarter of the Hospital group. The illustrations have been secured from the collections of the Hospital, the New York Academy of Medicine, the New York Public Library and my own. A list of publications, of interest in connection with our subject, is given in the Appendix. D. B. D. 10 CONTENTS Dedication................................. 7 Forew ord........................... 9 List of Illustrations................................ 13 The Origin and Birth of the Hospital................ 17 James Lenox...................................... 31 Robert Lenox...................................... 31 The Lenox Library............................... 37 The Early Days of the Hospital.................... 47 The Original Buildings............................. 51 The T ablet........................................ 57 The First Medical Board........................... 61 The Resident Directress............................ 65 The Farewell Letter of Miss Jane Stuart Woolsey.... 68 Reorganization and Reminiscences.................. 75 Environment and More Reminiscences............... 81 Contrasts.................................... 87 Surgery, 1872-1876................................. 95 Nursing, and the Development of the Training School. 103 Anna Caroline Maxwell.......................... 113 Jane Stuart Woolsey and Sisters.................... 119 Great Men of the Presbyterian Hospital.............. 127 Oliver W hite..................................... 131 Willard Parker..................................... 135 Alonzo Clark....................................... 141 Jared Linsly....................................... 145 Gurdon Buck..................................... 149 William Holmes VanBuren......................... 155 William Ludwig Detmold.......................... 159 Alfred Charles Post................................ 163 Charles Kelly Briddon.............................. 167 Lewis Atterbury Stimson........................... 171 Samuel Thomas Hubbard........................... 177 George Jacob Peters................................ 181 John Jacob Crane.................................. 182 Thomas E. Satterthwaite........................... 185 The Future..................................... 187 Appendix........................................ 190 11 LIST OF ILLUSTATIONS James Lenox................................... 4 The Hospital as completed in 1872................. 16 Robert L. Stuart................................ 28 Residence of James Lenox......................... 30 Robert Lenox................................... 32 The Lenox Library............................. 36 Full Plan of the Hospital (Elevation).............. 46 Ground Plan of the Hospital........................ 50 The Tablet..................................... 56 Nelson Buell Sizer................................. 60 Jane Stuart Woolsey......................... 64 David Bryson Delavan........................... 74 Squatter Settlement................................ 80 C. Irving Fisher................................ 88 Pasteur- Lister................................... 94 Wm. Gilman Thompson......................... 102 John S. Kennedy............................. 108 The Presbyterian Hospital, 1896..................... 110 Anna Caroline Maxwell........................... 112 Jane Stuart Woolsey................................ 118 Olver W hite.................................... 130 Willard Parker.................................. 134 Alonzo Clark.................................... 140 Jared Linsly................................. 144 Gurdon Buck................................... 148 William Holmes VanBuren...................... 154 William Ludwig Detmold....................... 158 Alfred Charles Post............................. 162 Charles Kelly Briddon........................... 166 Lewis Atterbury Stimson......................... 170 Samuel Thomas Hubbard.........................176 George Absalom Peters.......................... 180 Thomas E. Satterthwaite...................... 184 The New Hospital................................ 189 13 THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL 1872 THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL Of the many changes which the present period is witnessing, none are more impressive than those connected with the science of medicine. Foremost among the pioneers in its onward march, the Presbyterian Hospital is leading the way. For many years it has been quietly but steadily advancing in influence and prestige. T'oday it stands in the front rank of progressive medical institutions. The possibilities of its future development and usefulness are unlimited. Sixty years ago its sole existence was encompassed within the heart and mind of one generous, far seeing man. Mr. James Lenox, a public spirited citizen of well recognized eminence, had long considered the establishing of a great hospital. Gradually his ideas had taken form and in 1868 had become sufficiently definite to be announced and put in execution. The initial history of this period of the Presbyterian Hospital was elaborately set forh in the early volumes of its Annual Reports, the first of which appeared in 1869. In this and in the succeeding numbers careful record was made of the proceedings of the Board of Managers and of the current affairs of the institution. Somewhat extensive expositions were also entered into as to the ideas and the intentions of the founders, their present aims and their hopeful expectations of the future growth and usefulness of their new undertaking. Few copies of these early Annual Reports are now in existence. This is unfortunate, for the matter which they contain is eminently worthy of preservation. Not only does it give a complete series of facts of prime historical importance but it is also most interesting as affording enlightening glimpses of the moral atmosphere of the time. As explained by Mr. Lenox, the Presbyterian Hospital originated in the ascertained necessity for enlarged hospital accommodations to meet the wants of the sick and disabled of the rapidly augmenting population of the city. He believed that the success of such an undertaking would be promoted by giving it in some, degree a denominational character. 17 In the first annual report there is given a full statement of the primary organization of the Hospital, in which it is pertinently stated that "it seemed appropriate to notice the incipient and successive measures -Awhich were taken in this philanthropic enterprise." Thus from the beginning, the great possibilities of the future were recognized. The question of the suggested Hospital having been discussed, a circular letter was addressed to such gentlemen in the City as might sympathize in its objects: SNew York, Jan. 2, 1868. Sir: The City of New York has many General Hospitals, as well as others appropriated to specific purposes; it also contains several under the control of nationalities and religious denominations. Among the latter, the Jewish, the German and St. Luke's (Episcopal) may be named. But the large and influential body of Presbyterians has no such institution of this kind under its care. Its members have been very liberal in assisting almost all the Associations alluded to, and have taken part in the management of many of them, but they have not, as yet, imitated other churches by sustaining a hospital of their own. It is to supply this want that application is now made to you among the other gentlemen whose names are enumerated in one of the accompanying papers and with whomn you are invited to join as a manager in establishing a Presbyterian Hospital in this city. You will find enclosed drafts of an Act of Incorporation, and of a Constitution, under which such an institution might be formed. These are intended merely as specimens of what may be desirable. As soon as those to whom this paper is addressed have signified their willingness to act as Managers of the Hospital a meeting will be called at which the enclosed papers may be added to, or modified, and measures adopted to apply to the Legislature for incorporation. It may be well to state in this connection that no powers or privileges have been asked for, or intended to be exercised, which have not been granted to one or more of the hospitals now in operation in this city. Should such an Act be obtained, or one essentially similar in its provisions, I am authorized to say a large and eligibly situated plot of ground in this city suit18 able for buildings, and funds to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, to be appropriated either toward the erection of such buildings or some other purposes connected with the establishment and maintenance of a hospital, will be made over to the managers as soon as practicable. May I respectfully ask that you will inform me, at as early a date as possible, whether you will allow your name to be used as one of the Managers of the Presbyterian Hospital? I remain, Sir, yours very truly, JAMES LENOX. This letter, with its munificent proposals, received encouraging replies. On the 30th day of January following, a meeting was called at which a full attendance was secured and a temporary organization effected by the appointment of a Board of Managers consisting of 32 members, from among the most influential men of the city, as follows: JAMES BROWN THOMAS C. M. PATON MARSHALL S. BIDWELL JOSEPH STUART AARON B. BELKNAP ROBERT L. STUART WILLIAM E. DODGE THOMAS M. SMITH JAMES DONALDSON JONATHAN STURGES JOHN C. GREEN OTIS D. SWAN WINTHROP S. GILMAN CHARLES N. TALBOT ROBERT M. HARTLEY WILLARD PARKER, M. D. RICHARD IRVIN JOHN R. FORD EDWARD S. JAFFRAY HENRY M. TABER THOMAS JEREMIAH ALEXANDER VAN RENSSELAER MORRIS K. JESUP WILLIAM M. VERMILYE JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON WASHINGTON R. VERMILYE JAMES LENOX APPOLLOS R. WETMORE DAVID OLYPHANT A. ROBERTSON WALSH WILLIAM PATON GEORGE DE FOREST LORD HENRY PARISH An Act of Incorporation to found "a Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York" was passed by the Legislature February 28th. On the 26th day of March following the Charter was considered and accepted by the Board of Managers and the following officers were elected: JAMES LENOX, President JOHN C. GREEN, Vice-President AARON B. BELKNAP, Treasurer ROBERT M. HARTLEY, Corresponding Secretary HENRY M. TABER, Recording Secretary A permanent legal status having thus been secured, at a subsequent meeting held June 17th, the President con-- 19 veyed in due form to the Board of Managers, for hospital uses, the block of ground in the City of New York bounded by Seventieth and Seventy-first Streets and Fourth and Madison Avenues, and with it the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, both tax free. The whole matter was instituted and inspired by Mr. Lenox. The value of the property donated by him was at that time, 1868, about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. His subsequent gifts to the Hospital aggregated an equal amount. Next to Mr. Lenox, the largest donors were the brothers Robert L. and Alexander Stuart, men of ample means but of still broader generosity and public spirit. Among the foremost in various great enterprises, both financial and philanthropic, Mr. Robert L. Stuart was for many years President of the American Mluseum of Natural History. Messrs. James Brown, John C. Green and Joseph Sampson became "Patrons" of the Hospital from having subscribed ten thousand dollars or more. The work of constructing an edifice of high order, embracing all modern improvements in hospital architecture, was given extensive consideration. Recent developments in medical science and hospital hygiene had greatly modified former theories. It was determined "to embody in the plan of the structure and its arrangements whatever had been discovered that could be applied for the alleviation of suffering and the restoration of health." In support of the idea of the new hospital a number of conditions calling for the existence of such an institution were mentioned, and arguments advanced. Attention was directed to the growth of Dispensaries in New York City, the number of them already having equalled twelve. Hospital facilities were less adequate, especially for the benefit of the resident native population. Of the six hospital institutions not under control of the State, nameyv the New York, St. Luke's, St. Vincent's, St. Franciscus, mIt. Sinai and the German Hospital-besides a few other smnialler ones for the treatment of special diseases-but one, the New York H-ospital, the oldest and most respected of its class, was of a general metropolitan character. The remaining five were denominational in origin and policy, and, excepting St. Luke's, patronized and controlled by citizens of foreign nationalities. When the Presbyterian Hospital was established there would be but three of a popular American character for the entire city of nearly one million-souls. 20 Emphasis was placed upon the necessity for hospital care and hygiene for the benefit of respectable workers at small salaries, both men and women, often lodging in cheap, comfortless, unhealthy boarding houses, without care and attention, as well as "for every proper applicant whom Providence might send to us, many of them strangers and even members of our churches." These, when in need, had no resources but to accept pauper relief at Bellevue, or to suffer uncared for at home. Again, the maritime position of the city, its vast commercial, manufacturing and business activities, its overcrowded thoroughfares, the density of the population, the immense influx and egress of strangers, with the consequent casualties and sudden sicknesses inseparable from these conditions, now very numerous, increasing with the growth of the city, would ever require proportional hospital arrangements. "Let the necessity for such a hospital be fully understood by our citizens, their known liberality justifies the belief that one which so strongly appeals to their justice, their piety and humanity, will commend itself to their favor. Whatever may be thought of other forms of charity, there can be but one opinion in regard to this. In such charity our ability is the measure of our duty. The dictates of Revelation, not less than the moral law of our Constitution, demands this at our hands. "Such, imperfectly, are its claims. Yes, more than this. It is full of promise for the future. It is the sowing of perennial seed, with the certainty of a long succession of harvests. "In whatever aspect it is viewed it strongly commends itself to approval and support. No other benevolent effort is more needed in this city, nor is there one more likely to confer great and lasting benefits on suffering humanity." In conclusion it was remarked that the enterprise embraced the Old and New School Presbyterian Churches; the Reformed Dutch and the Reformed Presbyterian Churches; all the Churches, indeed, in the city that acknowledged Presbyterian policy and doctrine. Probably no appeal on so broad a basis as respected unity of faith, irrespective of minor differences, had ever before been presented to the churches of this order in this city. This inspired the hope and trust that there would be a like union of spirit and effort for this pre-eminently Christian undertaking, in which all had a common interest. 21 The Board of Managers having responded liberally to the call for funds, an appeal was made to the general public and in particular to the P esbyterian Churches, through a series of statements, calling attention to the necessity and importance of the work, of which the following is a summiary: I. The proposed Institution is needed to properly care for the sick of the rapidly increasing population of our city. The situation of the capacious block which has been conveyed to the Trustees is most desirable, being in one of the most elevated parts of the island, and easily accessible by the city railroads. II. It is needed for the benefit of a large Christian denomination to awaken a new interest in Hospital labors. The time has come when a greater devotion to this Christlike work is demanded of our Church. The establishment of St. Luke's Hospital and other kindred institutions has reacted with power on the spiritual interests of those connected with them. We may reasonably expect that the establishment of the Presbyterian Hospital will be likewise an effective means of increasing the activity of Presbyterians in this line of duty. The benefit of this work to the Church is two-fold: First. In promoting the spiritual growth and prosperity of Christians. The Hospital affords the field for that kind of service which quickens the sympathies and prayers, and gives exercise to the active energies of church members. Second. In promoting the spirit of union among the various branches of one Body, by bringing their members together to labor in a common cause. Much of this spirit, which is now happily uniting believers, is justly attributed to the co-operation of Christians of various denominations in hospital duty during the late war. III. Each body of Christians should possess a place of refuge where their own sick and suffering members are especially provided for. In the light of this obligation the name "Presbyterian," which to some may have appeared narrow, is seen to have a peculiar significance. Although the Hospital is under Presbyterian auspices, it is by no means designed to be exclusive; the very comprehensiveness of the plan would prevent this. As long as there is room, its doors will be open to every one who may need its 22 aid, under the restrictions which are common to all hospitals. IV. The permanency of the Hospital is one great element of its importance. It was a favorite remark of the late Dr. James W. Alexander, that the establishment of a Christian Church was especially important because of the permanency of its benefits in the community. The same remark applies with equal propriety to the Christian Hospital. Ordinary societies may change and the benefits designed by founders may not be realized, but he who aids in the foundation of a hospital to be cared for perpetually by Christians helps in that which is to bless the poor and needy for generations after the giver has gone to his reward. V. The increasing interest in the subject is an important sign of the times. It is an interesting fact that the first patient who underwent what could properly be called an operation, in the Massachusetts General Hospital, was a Mr. Goodnow, whose mind was thereby so impressed with the great benefit of the Institution to the poor, that long thereafter he bequeathed his estate to aid in the establishment of the Boston City Hospital. That Institution, with its extensive appointments, and the Rhode Island Hospital, also lately opened in Providence, to which the citizens there have contributed nearly half a million of dollars for construction and endowment, bear witness to the increasing sense of the importance of this work. According to the highest medical authority, the general construction of Iospitals up to the year 1860 had been faulty. Many constructed since that date are deemed defective. Enjoying the benefits of the experience of those who were in the field before us, the Managers of the Presbyterian Hospital of New York hope to make the funds given to this enterprise accomplish the greatest amount of good. The highest usefulness of the institution can be attained only by enlarging to the greatest extent the number of its contributors and friends. This opportunity is of peculiar interest to us as Presbyterians. The providence of God points us to the work, our spiritual interests call on us to engage in it, and at this very juncture the! basis for action is most invitingly laid open to us by the large donations alluded to in the Report. 23 VI. The opportunity appeals likewise to all, irrespective of religious preferences. The establishment of Hospitals has always possessed peculiar interest to men of enlarged views and philanthropic feelings. Those who are unconnected with any Christian denomination have frequently been large contributors. It has been their choice to place the Hospital under Christian influences. A most important truth is now permeating society like leaven, viz: That they only derive the full benefit of their property who use the gift during their lifetime for the benefit of others. It has been most eloquently expressed by a distinguished jurist, as follows: "They who merely accumulate or preserve wealth, are its servants; those who expend it upon themselves, become its victims; those only who use it grandly are its masters." You are respectfully solicited to send a donation for this object to A. B. Belknap, Treasurer, No. 20 Exchange Place, New York, or to consult with any of the Managers, who will be happy to afford you every information. The organization of the hospital having been completed, the general principles of action determined upon, the site donated and the necessary funds assured, the Board with commendable promptness began its work. Frequent meetings were held, plans submitted and approved, a Medical Staff organized, the buildings finished and equipped and proper service installed. Upon October 10, 1872, the New Hospital was formally opened. The services were held in the Chapel, in the presence of a large audience of distinguished and devoted friends. The ceremonies attendant upon the inauguration were dignified and impressive, as befitted an event of unusual importance, for the Hospital had been planned with rare broad-mindedness and the expenses of its creation met with unstinted liberality. The most experienced aid, both medical and lay, had been sought in its development. Its buildings were the work of a distinguished architect, its equipment and service the best obtainable. In the light of the then existing conditions a high degree of perfection had been attempted and attained. A model institution had been created, one ideally, as well as ma24 terially, in advance of those which had gone before. It was natural that its opening should be greeted with acclaim Much was expected of it. In his presidential address Mr. Lenox explained the intentions and hopes of the founders of the Hospital and set forth the fundamental principles upon which they were based. Declining the use of his own name, he introduced the institution to the world as "THE PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL, PRESBYTERIAN IN ITS BURDENS BECAUSE FOUNDED BY PRESBYTERIANS; UNDENOMINATIONAL IN ITS BENEFITS BECAUSE FOR THE RECEPTION OF PATIENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF CREED, NATIONALITY OR COLOR. The impressiveness of this declaration and the splendid dignity with which it was delivered have remained a vivid recollection to me. 25 ROBERT L. STUART ROBERT L. STUART JAMES LENOX RESIDENCE OF JAMES LENOX CORNER FIFTH AVENUE AND TWELFTH STREET JAMES LENOX As the Hospital owed its existence to Mr. Lenox, nothing could better illuminate the story of its birth than a study of the character and the career of that remarkable man. James Lenox, A.B., A.M., LL.D., was born in the City of New York on August 19, 1800. He was the only son of MAr. Robert Lenox and of his wife Rachel, daughter of Nicholas Carmer, a descendant of one of the earliest Dutch settlers of.N.ew Amsterdam. Robert Lenox with several brothers had come to this country about the time of the Revolutionary war, from Kirkcudbright, Scotland, the birthplace, by the way, of Admiral John Paul Jones. All of the brothers succeeded in gaining an excellent standing in the land of their adoption and became men of more or less prominence. The most successful of them was Robert, who, as a commission merchant, soon attained a leading position, trading extensively abroad, in the West Indies and in this country..His business transactions for many years surpassed in importance and extent those of any other merchant in New York City at that period. He not only amassed a large fortune but established himself as one of New York's most influential citizens in no ordinary sense. During the active part of his career he held several of the highest positions of trust that the City afforded; thus, he was President of the Chamber of Commerce; a member, like my own grandfather, of the Board of Aldermen at a time when a place upon the City Council was held in very different esteem from at the present day; one of the founders of the New York Lying-in-Hospital and for some time President of its Board; a member of that highly exclusive organization, the Board of Governors of the Sailors' Snug Harbor; and a Trustee of Princeton College. The remarkable variety of the above appointments would indicate that Mr. Robert Lenox was a man of unusually broad attainment, great executive ability and highly intelligent philanthropy. He died in 1839, at the age of eighty years. In August, 1794, one hundred and thirty years ago, New York City was visited by an epidemic of yellow fever. Governor DeWitt Clinton appointed a committee of fifteen prominent citizens with full power to act. Of this com31 ~: ~ " " ~:?:.::! mittee the late Dr. Samuel Bard and Mr. Robert Lenox were members, Mr. Lenox being its Secretary. At the suggestion of Dr. Bard, it was recommended that a certain house and plot of land, lying upon the shore of the East River and known as "Bellevue," belonging to the Murray Estate, be purchased and placed in the hands of the committee, for the care of the sick. The business part of this transaction was committed to Mr. Lenox. The outcome of his labor, finally consummated by the genius of Dr. John Winters Brannan, is the Bellevue Hospital of today. It is stated that when Mr. Lenox was an executor of the Estate of his friend, Mr. Archibald Gracie, a mortgage held by the estate was foreclosed and, in order that the estate might not lose the amount invested, of which there was some likelihood, and to net the beneficiaries an exceptional sum, he purchased the mortgaged premises at public auction held in the old Tontine Coffee House, for what was then the remarkable sum of $6,420 the land being considered worth only $500. The premises were known as the "Five Mile Post Farm" and comprised land within the boundaries of Fourth and Fifth Avenues and 68th and 71st Streets. Four months later Mr. Lenox purchased three parcels of land bounded by Fourth and Fifth Avenues and 71st and 74th Streets, exactly equal in area with the parcels purchased under foreclosure at public auction. The price paid for this second plot was $500. Thereafter these two tracts were known as "The Lenox Farm." The Old Farm House was on what is now 71st Street, near Fifth Avenue, about five miles from City Hall. Mr. Robert Lenox never sold any of the land in his lifetime and had a high opinion of its value. In his will, referring to this plot and to his son, James Lenox, he devised it "to James' heirs forever. My motive for so leaving this property is a firm persuasion that it may at no distant date be the site of a village, and as it cost me more than its present worth, from circumstances known to my family, I will cherish that belief that it may be realized by them. At all events I want the experiment made by keeping the property from being sold." Later the above was modified as follows: "At the same time I wish him, my son, to understand that my opinion of tle property is not changed and although I withdraw all legal restrictions to his making sale of the whole or any part of the same, yet I enforce on him my advice not to do so." 33 The records of the Chamber of Commerce say of Mr. Robert Lenox, "he was one of the most extensive as well as successful merchants in the United States; an eminent citizen wAho for a period beyond the ordinary course of human life was distinguished for great prudence, clear and sound judgment and unblemished reputation." Of such ancestry and with such direct example of excellence to guide and inspire him, it is natural that the career of Robert Lenox's only son should have been one of unusual distinction. With the subsequent growth of the city Mr. James Lenox had before him the example of several large holders of unimproved real estate whose policy was to allow their neighbors to make the improvements which should enhance the value of their own property. MTr. Lenox realized that such selfish action was not in the interest of the public or even of the owner himself. By selling parcels to selected buyers he could in a measure influence the ultimate character of the whole, thus protecting the region from undesirable control. The wisdom of his foresight is proved in the present high order of occupancy of Lenox Hill. Mr. James Lenox held the land until 1864, when he commenced to convey various lots in the tract and at his death in 1880 sales of portions of it had netted him over three million dollars and the value of the remainder which included the tracts he had given the Presbyterian Hospital, the Phillips Presbyterian Church, the Home for Aged Women and the Lenox Library was over four million dollars. On an investment of about seven thousand dollars this meant an increase of seven million dollars in a little over sixty years and at the present time a conservative appraisal of the Lenox Farm would be between fifty and sixty million dollars. Needless to say, James received an excellent early education. He graduated from Columbia College in 1818 and in 1821 received from Princeton College the degree of A.M. He then studied law and was admitted to the Bar, afterwards going to Europe for several years for purposes of study and travel. He returned to New York in 1826 and joined his father in business, the firm becoming Robert Lenox and Son, at 59 Broadway. Shortly after his father's death in 1839 the firm name was changed to James Lenox, Merchant, and so continued until about 1845 when Mr. Lenox retired from business and devoted himself to the pursuits most congenial to him, making his headquarters at 34 his residence, No. 53 Fifth Avenue, at the North East corner of Twelfth Street, adjoining the home of his sister, Miss Lenox. There, in well lighted offices in the basement, he attended to the affairs of his estate, collected books, pictures and works of art and busied himself with many charitable and religious enterprises. Following the example of his father, Mr. Lenox was a Trustee of Princeton College, holding office from 1833 to 1857, and a Trustee of Princeton Seminary from 1831 to 1879. He was a director of the Seminary from 1835 to 1847. He received the degree of LL.D. from Princeton in 1867 and from Columbia in 1875. Since the retirement of Mr. Lenox the business house established by his father was continued under various firm names for many years. Stevens, apparently the sole biographer of Mr. Lenox, to whom I am indebted for much valuable information, says of him that he w-as not only born with a fortune but fortune made him her own through life. He was a pattern of industry, method and good management. He worked ten hours a day and accumulated largely by good investments. He could therefore well afford to choose his course of life. Mr. Lenox was ever most generous and charitable, but like many other great philanthropists, he manifested a dislike to being indebted to others for hints as to his private or public duties, nor would he tolerate interference with his own charitable impulses. He bore his share of the public burdens, and helped the needy, but avoided all public offices and politics. While living apparently to himself he was always earnestly studying the welfare of the public and that of posterity, ever tolerant in granting to others the fullest liberty in the exercise of the same privileges and principles of action which he himself assumed and practiced. lie thought that young- men prospered more successfully by attending to their own business affairs. By some he w-as thought proud, aristocratic and distant. To those who were in constant communication with him for many years he appeared diffident, simple hearted, generous, kind, very pious, but retiring and reticent to outsiders. To his intimates and especially to those in sympathy with his projects and pursuits he was freely communicative. With all his amiability and gentleness, none knew his duties better and, knowing them, none dared maintain them more firmly and consistently. He shunned notoriety, but when over35 THE LENOX LIBRARY FIFTH AVENUE, 70th AND 71st STREETS, NEW YORK taken by it bore it with fortitude and in silence. His love of exactness and especially of exact conformity to truth was sometimes almost excessive. He tolerated no interviewers or curiosity hunters and was himself not easily accessible except for good cause. A cultured reader, he was an ardent collector of books, but the treasures of his library, however precious, were generally with great promptitude and courtesy submitted to the use of scholars on due and satisfactory application, seldom, however, at his own house. Nor was he, with rare exceptions, willing to lend his choice books or let them go out of his possession. His usual custom, when requested, was to deposit his rarities in the hands of the Librarian of the Astor Library or some similar place of safety. Then by note, inform the applicant that the use of the particular book required was at his service there. He was nervous about the safety of his rarer books when out of his own keeping and almost uniformly declined application to see his library. He even refused among many others, Mr. Prescott, the historian, but at the same time politely informed him that any particular book or manuscript he possessed which Mr. Prescott might name should be forwarded for his use, if possible. The words "if possible" often used by Mr. Lenox in his replies to such applicants were sometimes incomprehensible to them. The truth was that from about 1845 to 1869, Mr. Lenox was actively and rapidly collecting his Library and doing all the work himself, so that he had no time to catalogue or arrange his accessions except in the case of a few of the smaller and more notable specimens. Thus, the request of Mr. Prescott involved great inconvenience to Mr. Lenox, the promise of little satisfaction to Mr. Prescott and the probable disclosure of intentions which for excellent reasons MIr. Lenox was not yet ready to reveal. For many years his highly competent agents had been diligently buying in Europe and elesewhere literary treasures of all kinds. Catalogues were gathered and studied, sales were attended and everything possible of interest and value secured. In 1854-55 his London agent alone bought books to the extent of over fifty thousand dollars, today worth five times that amount. The collection of Bibles, the third largest in the world, numbering over four thousand copies up to 1860 had cost eighty thousand dollars. The collection of Americana, chiefly from 1493 to 1700, is the finest extant. From the library of George Washington he secured 37 over three thousand volumes, most of them bearing the autograph of the original d'wner. The great bulk of his book collections were piled away in the numerous spare rooms of his large house, until these were filled from end to end to the ceiling. The door was then locked and the room for the time being definitely closed. The accessions after examination and careful collation, approval and payment, were entered or marked off in interleaved catalogues of various dealers or in small special memorandum books, with sufficient clearness for his own use but unintelligible to outsiders. The books were then piled away. "If possible" therefore, was a term which Mr. Lenox might fairly use but was not called upon to explain. Indeed, he often bought duplicates for immediate use or to lend, ratbier than grope for the copies he knew to be in the stacks in some of his store-rooms. The reasons for this course of action on the part of Mr. Lenox are perfectly clear. He intended to found a great library, of unusual character and scope; not a general public library in the ordinary sense but a collection of rare books and manuscripts not to be found elsewhere, invaluable for scholars and students of special subjects but far too precious for the use of ordinary readers, whose wants could readily be met in other ways. The intention and the character of the Library of Mr. Lenox bear an interesting resemblance to that of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. That his gift should be properly housed and preserved, he gave for it valuable land, the finest and most substantial building that could be planned and a generous endowment for its perpetual support, with every expectation that its permanence would be secure. The most striking commentary upon the fate of the Lenox Library is suggested in the rigid terms of the deed of gift of the J. Pierpont Morgan Library, lately made public. Years before it became expedient to erect a building Mr. Lenox began the work of collecting material for its contents. It was wise for many reasons that this work should be carried on quietly, as any exploitation of his ultimate purpose would have added greatly to the difficulties of securing rare and valuable specimens. Thus, while the extent of his collection was only known in a general way, he had acquired one of the finest special libraries in the world. My own personal acquaintance with Mr. Lenox began 38 shortly after I left college. He was then over seventy years of age. In his spacious home in lower Fifth Avenue he had for many years lived a quiet and retired life, although in the heart of the then fashionable part of the City. Those who were his neighbors were men of wealth who formed the most advanced social element of the time. Miany of them were more or less extravagant in their ways of living, lavish entertainers and genial men of that delightfully genial period. Some of them collected good pictures. Few had libraries distinctly worthy of note. The points of difference between themselves and Mr. Lenox were so many and so marked that it was as impossible for them to appreciate him as it would have been for him to exchange for their methods of thinking and living his own progressive and high-minded aims. Therefore he was criticized by them, often unjustly, sometimes even with unreasoning severity. It was my good fortune to hear about him and finally to know him through some of his most loyal and devoted friends, as well as to have fair opportunities for personal observation. This was especially the case during the period of my residence at the Presbyterian Hospital. I am able to bear ample testimony to the truth of all that has already been said regarding him. Of his modesty and self-effacement there can be no question. While he gave the property upon which the hospital stands and subscribed a very generous share of the money required for constructing it, he never allowed these facts to become apparent. No prerogative in the management of the affairs of the institution was arrogated by him nor did he allow himself to ask special favors of it, even of the smallest kind. As an example of this and by way of contrast, Mr. Lenox's pastor sent a patient to the hospital one day with the following note addressed to me as Resident Physician and Surgeon and Examining Officer: Dear Doctor: The bearer of this note is................. You will admit her to one of the female wards of the Hospital. Yours very truly.................. A day or two afterwards a patient applied for admission bringing a letter from Mr. Lenox, which read: 39 My dear Dr. Delavan: The bearer of this letter is............... Will you kindly examine her and if you find her case suitable for admission to the Hospital admit her accordingly? Yours very truly, J. LENOX. Mr. Lenox recognized the prescribed rule of the Hospital. The other peremptorily over-rode it. A kinder gentleman than Mr. Lenox or one more considerate of the feelings of others never lived. One bleak afternoon in the late winter time I was passing quickly down Union Square; a strong gale was blowing, the skies were overcast, it was very cold and the air was filled with clouds of offensive dust which swirled in all directions, choking one's breath and blinding his eyes. Coming toward me, and against the wind, I noticed Mr. Lenox, then seventy-seven years of age. In a heavy overcoat and with a shawl around his shoulders and head he was struggling to make difficult headway against the blinding gusts. As I passed him I touched my hat and said "Good afternoon, sir." Apparently he did not see me but when nearly by turned partly around, too late however to answer my salutation. Later I received a note from him, of which the following is a literal copy: New York, 23 March 1877. Dr. D. Bryson Delavan. Dear Sir: I have your note of yesterday, and have sent your memorandum to our Cor. Secretary to be incorporated in our annual report which has just been prepared. I am very much gratified by the opinion you express in relation to the hospital-perhaps at some future time you may again be brought into connection with it. About a month ago I think I met you in Union Square, but my sight is so defective that until we had gone too far apart I could not recall your face, nor where I had seen you. I hope you will receive my excuse for what may have appeared a rudeness. I am, dear sir, Yours very truly, J. LENOX. His interest in the Hospital was intense and he was by no means the least useful member of its board. Indeed, his 40 instinct in institutional management seemed to guide him with fair directness and accuracy. This is not surprising, remembering the experience of his father in hospital affairs and recognizing that it was with Mr. James Lenox that the idea of the Presbyterian Hospital itself was first conceived. Just when it originated in his mind may be doubtful, but knowing that the idea of the Library occurred to him many years before he saw fit to announce it, we may readily believe that he had long intended to do what was finally accomplished in the incorporating and building of the Hospital. Nor is it easy to imagine how long its inception and completion might have been delayed had he not developed the idea and then so promptly and nobly supported it. The very terms of its foundation were new, original and progressive. Mr. Lenox considered it wiser to enlist the support of a large and influential body of citizens through giving to the Hospital the name it now bears rather than to possibly restrict its influence through allowing it to take his own. In this was also presented an illustration of his unconquerable aversion to personal publicity. Great as was his vision of the Library, his other philanthropic projects were conceived upon a like breadth of purpose and liberality of view. This was especially true of the Hospital. Active although silent preparation for the Library occupied him for more than twenty-five years, during which time he was not only collecting material for it but was greatly increasing his financial resources, so that when the time was ripe means had been accumulated amply sufficient to meet the requirements of his long planned benefactions. The desire to found a hospital which should be based upon the best and most advanced conditions of the times, undoubtedly had been in his mind for many years. That he had given the subject the same careful thought bestowed upon the Library is evidenced by the excellence of the judgment and the value of the ideas contributed by him in the Hospital's organization. Silently, thoughtfullly, he had studied the subject of hospital construction and management until, when the time arrived, he was ready to render efficient aid. The story of the creation of the Library gives the best possible insight into the character of Mr. Lenox and explains in graphic detail the methods by which, with patience, 41 zeal and great intelligence his widely varied and difficult enterprises were carried by him to success. As Mr. Lenox advanced in years and took upon himself new responsibilities he felt more and more that his time, his intellect and his fortune were all his own in the higher sense and that they were the three talents especially entrusted to him by Providence for useful purposes. With rare conscientiousness and greatness of heart and with zeal commensurate with his diligence and his knowledge, he quietly persevered until he had finished all that he had begun. Like his father, in the ripeness of old age he was called away, just when he had attained his life's work. leaving nothing undone. A purer, cleaner and more finished life is hardly possible to conceive. Such was James Lenox of New York, w\ho died on the 17th of February, 1880, at the age of eighty, the earnest student, the collector, the founder and donor of one of the most valuable public libraries in the new world, the philanthropist, the builder of churches, the giver to New York of a home for aged women, the dispenser of untold silent charities, the benefactor of his native city and his honored country, the founder of the Presbyterian Hospital, the eminently worthy son of his distinguished father. Notwithstanding all of these noteworthy accomplishments, the outcome of a quiet and unostentatious life, Mr. Lenox was rarely seen of men, and few, from personal observation, could have divulged the particulars of any of his achievements. He was content to labor and to wait, his many virtues bringing to him their own sufficient reward. It has been generally believed that toward the end of his life Mr. Lenox expressly desired that little should be said regarding himself or his career. While such a wish should have met with due respect, 'it seems nothing short of a public misfortune that the story of such a life as his should be lost. Of shining examples of iniquity the youth of the country have all too many; not the least valuable of the legacies which Mr. Lenox left was the lesson of his own extraordinary character and personality. Men of elaborate training and of distinguished ability in the department of finance are not uncommon. Ripe scholarship, gained under peculiar social advantages, is sometimes met with. Combination of the one with the other is rare. It would be hard to find, within the recollection of those 1now living, another instance in which the highest order of 42 practical business ability, the broadest intellectual culture and the possession of ample wealth have been so harmoniously and so successfully united in one of such fine heredity and such marked superiority of character. In the world, but not of it, and possessing resources equal to the gratification of almost any desire, he lived for the happiness and well being of those around him and for their posterity, as remote as human foresight could previse. In his zealous furtherance of the noblest aims of philanthrophy and education the success of James Lenox must be ranked with the highest. Were any justification needed for this sketch of his character and career in connection with the Presbyterian Hospital it would be eloquently given by the earnest expression of that lover of great men, himself the greatest of them, Louis Pasteur: "From the lives of men whose passage is marked by a trace of durable light, let us piously gather up every word, every incident, likely to make known the incentives of their great souls, for the education of posterity." 43 EARLY DAYS OF THE HOSPITAL 1,11!, 1 IN, ml 1!1" IPl''1 '' 'IIi 00, i THE EARLY DAYS OF THE HOSPITAL In the foregoing sketch of the life and character of Mr. James Lenox an attempt has been made to describe the conditions which attended the founding of the Presbyterian Hospital and to recognize the highly altruistic spirit which actuated its founders. Filled with laudable ambition for the advancement of the relief of human suffering, they launched their enterprise at the very beginning of what was soon to become a veritable tidal wave of scientific progress. For years the ineffectiveness of many of the tim'e-honored methods of medicine and surgery had become increasingly evident. There had arisen an intense desire for better things, a longing almost prophetic of what was about to come. This desire was recognized by the founders of the Presbyterian Hospital, who made every effort to organize, construct and equip their institution in accordance with the most advanced prevailing ideas. In not a few things they were leaders, as our story will show. That some of their ideas failed of immediate acceptance was largely due to the'fact that they were new. Time and experience have fully vindicated their value. Incidentally, as one result of their example, the fame of their institution went abroad and there is today a "Presbyterian Hospital" in many of the large cities of the United States. Immediately following the period in which the hospital was established there occurred the most phenomenal era in the history of medicine. The investigations and discoveries of Pasteur were in progress and were soon to become known and the possibilities of their wide influence upon the correct understanding, the prevention and the management of communicable diseases appreciated. Rumors of the application of the discoveries of Pasteur to surgery through the work of Mr. Joseph Lister were slowly beginning to circulate. The world was fully prepared for the wonders it was about to receive. The mental attitude of our surgeons, discouraged by the experiences of the past, had become one of almost apathetic despair. With the reports from France and Scotland hope long deferred was giving way to anxious anticipation. The time was also one of radical progress in the his47 tory of hospital development and in the establishing of schools for the training of nurses in New York, for it was almost coincident with the removal of the New York Hospital from Duane Street and Broadway to its present quarters in 15th Street, and of the establishing of Roosevelt Hospital. Interesting differences existed between these three institutions which cannot here be discussed. In one thing they were alike; both of the newly founded ones owed much of the success of their organization to the influence of men who throughout their long careers had been intimately connected with the old New York Hospital. There they had enjoyed the best advantages that the time afforded for the development of professional knowledge and skill, as well as for the details of hospital organization and management. Practically all the older members of the Medical Board of the Presbyterian Hospital were men of high distinction, ripe in the experience of hospital affairs. The Board of Managers on the other hand was composed, with few exceptions, of men of prominence in the world of commerce and finance but with little practical knowledge of medical institutions. The marked exceptions to this were Mr. Appollos R. Wetmore, the son of a highly respected former superintendent of the New York Hospital, who was born in that institution and there spent his early days. By far the most efficient member of the Board was its President. Reared in the philanthropic atmosphere of his father's home his life had been spent in the study and management of important institutions. As a member of the Board he was intelligent, sympathetic and liberal. With the progress of time and the exercise of much patient endeavor the Board became educated to its task. The eminently favorable career of the Presbyterian Hospital in later years was doubtless influenced in no small degree not only by a knowledge of the causes which contributed to its earliest success but also through the recognition and avoidance of possible sources of failure. The story, hitherto untold, of its struggles through difficulty, and sometimes discouragement, may well engage attention. It presents instructive lessons. 48 THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS P -i.:i 4 [IE~~R.:~: '~'h:~--j~ ~~:~ ~: a.~I~~ a 1;::~:: H wQ 0v [A [q [Al - 0G: ~ [A~r [AW` HlFJ II ~ THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS It will be interesting to recall some of the original features of the Presbyterian Hospital as it was when first completed. They are admirably shown in the accompanying illustration. The buildings had been designed by the late Mr. Richard M. Hunt, at that time New York's most distinguished architect. The group consisted of two chief buildings, one for administration, the other for the hospital. Between them was a small structure which included the kitchen, laundry, and heating plants; another smaller one, the mortuary; and lastly, one for the ambulance. The ambulance itself, however, was not provided until a later day. The property of the hospital consisted of the block bounded by 70th and 71st Streets, and Madison and Park Avenues. Both the Administration and the Hospital buildings abutted upon the property lines of their respective streets and were connected by two long covered corridors, the tops of which could be used as roof gardens and were protected for that purpose by suitable balustrades. At that period there were no roof gardens at the tops of any of our hospitals. The walls of both buildings were constructed of red brick and gray stone; the brick was of the finest quality, Philadelphia, smooth faced. Its superior excellence illustrates the ambition of Mr. Lenox and his friends to provide nothing for the hospital not of the very best. The Limestone of "The Lockport group of the Niagara series of the lower Silurian," which provided the finish for the walls, is rich in the fossil remains of corals, crinoids, and various forms of small bivalve and spiral shells, especially evident where the surface of the stone has weathered, offering studies in the geology of the period pleasantly diverting to the hospital-wearied mind. The exterior appearance except in slight particulars remains unchanged. The plan of the old Hospital Building was simple. The first floor was mainly devoted to rooms for private patients, looking out upon 71st Street. These rooms were of fair size and comfortably furnished. The charge for them was from thirty to fifty dollars a week. The surgical operating rooms, located on the third and fourth floors, were remarkably well planned, in fact among the best of their day, al51 though lined with wood. Tile lining had not yet come into use. They commanded an excellent northerly light and were,conveniently equipped. There were three floors, reached by stairways, each floor divided equally into two wards of twelve beds each. The ceilings were high and the windows of the wards were large and numerous, so that excellent ventilation was secured. The walls were hard finished, capable of being washed. The flooring and other woodwork was of pitch pine. There weie no passenger elevators, access to the stories being gained by the staircase running up through the center of the building. All told, there were accommodations for about one hundred patients. The above described structures comprised the complete outfit of buildings as the hospital originally existed. All of the others are of a later date. For a number of years the approach to the front entrance of the Administration Building was guarded by two large and heavy wrought iron gates, set directly under the side arches of the tower and swung fronm the piers of the tower on each side, facing respectively east and west. These were closed at night. When closed they were architecturally effective. Practically, they were in the way. Moreover, by suggesting the idea of exclusiveness they offered direct contradiction to the open hearted liberality of Mr. Lenox as expressed in the tablet which he had caused to be placed upon the nearby wall. Thanks to Dr. Fisher, during his incumbency as Superintendent they were quietly removed. The scars in the stone work which represent the holes where the supports for the hinges were set and the ornamented iron pivots beneath them may be readily recognized. Except for the absence of the gates the entrance to the Administration Building remains unchanged. Even the doors are the same as is the clock above the corridor. The wooden steps which led to the corridor are now of marble and the wooden flooring of the corridor has been displaced, while the arrangement of the rooms giving off from the corridor has been extensively altered. Then, as now, the executive offices were in the rooms looking toward the south. Some of those on the north were used as reception rooms. The shop of the apothecary was at the extreme southeastern corner. The present partition wall, perforated with high windows, was built-in many years ago. The sleeping rooms of the superintendent and the interne staff were on the second and third floors. Mine was directly west of the central tower. The Manager's room 52 was the same as it is today. Our dining room was upon this floor, upon the north side. The chapel was a beautiful feature of the building. It was located in the upper and central part of the Administration Building, of Gothic design, well proportioned, sufficiently large, and altogether a successful example of the work of the architect. It is a pity that pressing need of space should have caused it to disappear, since a chapel is surely a good companion for a hospital. Indeed, in a hospital worthy of the name, it seems difficult to imagine that the one can exist without the other. Between the atmosphere of excessive sentimentality characteristic of some institutions, and that of scientific medicine reduced as nearly as possible to a basis of mathematical standardization, there must be for the evolution of the perfect hospital a happy medium. No better example could be found than is shown in that admirable institution, St. Luke's Hospital, New York. Such a combination was clearly intended by the Founders of the Presbyterian Hospital; the ambitious aims of the present should be tempered by the fine sentiment of the past. A striking contrast between the customs of the time and of our day of steel and concrete was shown in the construction of the hospital buildings. They were non-fireproof and wherever possible pitch pine was used. In the main Hospital Building a wide staircase led through the various floors to the upper story. Besides this there were separate shafts for dumbwaiters, soiled clothing and dust. These, together with small staircases, were placed at the extremities of the wings. All were lined with pitch pine. The Administration Building itself was not designed with reference to safety from fire. Several times fires originated in the shafts of the Hospital Building which but for the vigilance of those nearby might easily have ended in conflagration. I never retired without having my clothes arranged upon a chair nearby after the manner of firemen on duty, alway conscious of the fact that at any moment the necessity might arise for instant action. The reasonableness of this was subsequently verified, for in 1889 the main building, in which was the hospital department, was totally destroyed. It burned so quickly that it was with difficulty the patients were rescued and the most valuable orderly of the hospital lost his life in his heroic efforts to save them. The building was at once replaced by the present fireproof structure, greatly amplified and improved as compared with the original. THE TABLET PRES-YTERIAN HOSPITAL -QR THE POOR OF NEW YORK WITHOUTT RECARD TO:RACE,CREED OR COLOR SVPPORTe SBY VO`UNTARY CONTRIBYTIONS THE TABLET The most notable feature of the Administration Building was the tablet, placed conspicuously upon its outer wall a little to the west of the main entrance. The origin of the inscription upon it is interesting. Before the idea of the hospital had been announced by Mr. Lenox, he had many conferences upon the subject with his friend and personal physician, Dr. Oliver White. Mr. Lenox was frequently to be found in the doctor's consulting room, earnestly discussing his plans. Dr. White's practice was among the leading families of the neighborhood. On one occasion he was called to see an old and highly respected colored servant of one of them. He found her in urgent need of hospital care but was unable to secure admission for her to the institution of his choice, by reason of her race. I well remember the hot indignation with which he expressed himself to Mr. Lenox and others at this rebuff, earnestly venturing the hope "that some day there would be a hospital broad enough to admit patients without regard to color or creed." Mr. Lenox at once accepted the suggestion and applied it as the fundamental principle upon which the hospital was based. The idea met with universal approbation, and since then has been widely adopted by other institutions. But its actual introduction to the world was when it was first exposed to view upon the tablet so familiar to us. In the early days of the hospital the spirit of the tablet was carefully observed. Fifty years have dimmed the luster of its polished granite and tarnished the sheen of its bronze. The brightness of its youth has given place to the rust of age. May the future not find it totally obscured! 57 THE FIRST MEDICAL BOARD This engraving was made from a newspaper print, the only portrait available. THE FIRST MEDICAL BOARD In 1871, prior to the formal opening of the Hospital in 1872, the affairs of the institution had advanced sufficiently to warrant the selection and organization of a Medical Board. To this were appointed Dr. Alonzo Clark and Dr. Oliver White as Consulting Physicians, and Drs. George A. Peters and Johi J., Crane,''Consulting Surgeons. The Attending Physicians were Drs. A. Brayton Ball,, Edward 'C. Seguin, George G. Wheeldck, Walter de Forest Day, Gerardus H. Wynkoop, and Alexander Hadden. The Surgeons were Drs. Alfred C. Post, Gurdon Buck, Thomas T. Sabine, Daniel M. Stimson, Lockwood de Forest Woodruff. and Samuel B. Ward. The Pathologists were Drs. Charles Stedman Bull, Thomas E. Satterthwaite and John W. Beekman. Dr. Satterthwaite served continuously for fifteen years. The others resigned after a year or two. A detailed account of some of the most distinguished members of the Medical Board will be given in another section. The selection of the Attending Staff had been strongly influenced by Dr. Willard Parker. Several of its members, although young, were men of promise, while the staff as a whole, was exceptionally strong. Nearly all were associated with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. In the organization of the direct management of the Hospital Miss Jane Stuart Woolsey, a lady of social distinction and of proved experience and ability was appointed Superintendent, under the title of "Resident Directress," and Dr. Nelson B. Sizer, a recently graduated interne from Roosevelt Hospital, Resident Physician and Surgeon. Upon the completion of his services, Dr. Sizer established himself in Long Island, where he died about two years ago. He was succeeded by Dr. David Mount, also a graduate of Roosevelt and originally from a place called Rocky Hill, New Jersey. After him came Dr. Marcus E. Tully. Both practiced in this city for many years. They were succeeded by Dr. Thomas R. Savage, who was appointed Junior Assistant in the fall of 1873. Dr. Savage resigned before the close of his term and his place was filled by Dr. Edward T. Ely, son and grandson of eminent practi61 tioners of Rochester, New York. Ely was one of the most talented and attractive men of his time. After leaving the hospital he became the partner of the late Dr. D. B. St. John Roosa. He developed unusual ability as a specialist in diseases of the eye and ear and also distinguished himself in general literature. But his brilliant career was brought to an early close, and there went from us one of the most promising scientists and best beloved friends of his time. In my judgment Ely was by far the ablest man who served the hospital during the first twenty years of its career. He was succeeded by Dr. John B. Crowell of whom I have found no record, and Crowell by Dr. Charles B. Roof, of New York City, who practiced here for a time and died many years ago. 62 THE RESIDENT DIRECTRESS . ý.. 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